Video: This M&M sorter is powered by Lego Mindstorms NXT

Shane McGlaun, 12th December 2012

Are you the sort of geek diva who only eats specific color M&Ms, but are way too lazy to sort them by hand?

Well, you might want to check out the video below because a Lego geek going by the name Nxt1engineer has designed a sweet M&M dispenser using Lego Mindstorms NXT building blocks.

Now rather than simply dispensing your crunchy chocolate candies, this device will actually sort them by color so you don't taint your taste buds with a color you may have an aversion to. This would have been particularly helpful growing up when my brother was convinced green M&Ms let you hit a home run in T-ball.

The construct is apparently able to separate the candies using some sort of tone detecting sensor. The video doesn't show exactly how to build the device or what went into the construction, rather, it focuses on showcasing the M&M sorter in use. Seeing the gadget sort the M&Ms is actually pretty interesting, and the machine actually does it rather quickly.

It appears the center section might be where M&Ms are shot if the system is unable tell what color they are or becomes overwhelmed. Once the rows are full, the machine automatically drops the M&Ms into the trays below for you to eat. I bet it took a lot of tinkering to get this device to work, as it's quite an impressive creation. Still, as cool as this is, the giant Serenity is still my personal LEGO favorite.